A Different Kind Of Bounty
by Toomi
Summary: Episode Tag to season 10's Bounty. CamVala


_AN: Something that was just begging to be written, and I had to get it done before I either lost the idea, or spent forever trying to get it out of my head while writing the other fics. Set after Bounty, with references to the episode. Cam/Vala._

**Disclaimer: I own no part of Stargate, I just like to play with the characters a little... They'll be returned, undamaged, in their plastic wrapping.**

Watching Cam kiss his high school crush forced Vala to look away. She looked directly at the steering wheel, and remembering the horn, gave the steering wheel several quick pushes, followed by a long one. Cam pulled back from kissing Amy and turned to glare in her direction. She rolled her eyes, and rolled up the window of the car, her point made. Trying not to watch as he bade his farewell to Amy, Vala mused over the past few days.

She had not expected Cam to eventually cave to her begging. What she said had been true, all the other members of SG-1 had other things to do on Earth, and she was left to her own devices once again. Sam had made some comment to Cam regarding the torture of high school reunions, and when Vala had asked why it was considered torture, Sam had explained her point of view. From what Vala could understand, these reunions tended to be some sort of bragging festival, a way to prove to your old acquaintances how far you had made it in life. Usually, the icing on the cake, was who you brought with you. Your date was either your husband, boyfriend, or someone who was a good enough friend to show up as your date, and it didn't hurt if they happened to be one of the best looking men/women in the room.

When Vala asked Sam if she had gone to her reunion, Sam had snorted, laughed, and replied that no she hadn't. Her excuse was that she had no one to take. After finding out from Daniel that Cam was going to his reunion alone, Vala had planned her move. She was an attractive looking woman, and knew how to use her sexuality to the best advantage. Surely Cam would see that, and permit her to accompany him on such an important Earth ritual.

It had worked, and she relished the chance to spend time with Cam away from the base, just the two of them.

But she hadn't counted on Amy. When this blond woman strolled casually over to Cam, Vala had suspected trouble, and her suspicions confirmed when Cam promptly fell off his chair trying to say hello. Hope resurfaced when Darrell took them to his 'firing range.' Several bale's of hay topped in tin cans, but Vala noticed the glances her exposed midriff collected from Cam. That moment out in the warm air, showing off her accuracy skills, and taunting two men with her assets. Finding out about Cam and Amy's past, their almost non existent, relationship, and Amy's marriage, gave Vala slight encouragement that this little vacation could perhaps bear fruit.

At the dance, Amy resurfaced, and Cam abandoned Vala while she was preoccupied learning about insurance policies. Vala watched as Amy and Cam talked, moving closer with every sentence, jealousy creeping up within her. When Darrell approached her, waving a silver canister, an idea formed in her head. Darrell was Cam's friend, and if she wanted to make Cam take notice, perhaps Darrell was the best tool to use. She pulled him along, finding a large room filled with seats. He followed willingly, and Vala sat, her legs draping over him. She had been hoping that eventually Cam would come looking for her, but as time went by, and no Cam, she had to stop what she had started with Darrell.

When she recognized the bounty hunter, Ventrell, all thoughts of a nice weekend away, vanished from Vala's mind. He was in the main room, watching Cam closely. She noticed that Cam and Amy were dancing very close to each other, but refused to dwell on that. There were more important things to take care of at that moment.

Once Ventrell had been taken care of, and everyone at the reunion had signed what seemed to be mounds of paperwork, it had been very late. Cam and Vala had stayed with the rest of SG-1 until every one of the civilians had left, and only then had Cam driven back to his parents house.

Arriving, Cam bade her goodnight as he made for the couch. Vala paused at the bottom of the stairs, intending on offering him the bed. Watching as he practically fell onto the couch, she wondered what it would be like to wake up to him in the morning, side by side. Just that mere thought made her smile, and she quietly took the stairs up to the room she was staying in.

The following morning, after breakfast, Amy had arrived. Cam had not abandoned his parents and Vala, but instead they all gathered around the picnic table. Vala listened as old memories were recounted, laughing in all the right places, curious as to exactly what Amy was doing there. Once the car was packed up, and the goodbyes were being said, Vala had her answer.

Now she was sitting in the car, holding a pie, staring stoically ahead. As Cam said his goodbyes to his parents, she opened the container and sampled the pie. Cam opened the door, sat down, and as he fastened his seat belt, began to defend Amy. Vala, listening to Cam state that he liked Amy, and that she was a nice girl, shoved a forkful of pie into his mouth, hoping to keep him quiet. It didn't keep him silent for longer than a few seconds, but he changed the subject to her previous marriages. Having being married several times, legally, and non legally, Vala began to regale him with tales of her past, thankful Amy wasn't being discussed any more.

Waiting in the departure lounge at the airport, Cam broke the silence.

"So, you and Darrell?"

"What about him?"

"You did disappear with him for a while." They were sitting side by side in the crowded area, and Cam turned to look at Vala, who refused to look him in the eye.

"Yes. I did."

"And?"

"And what?" Vala crossed her arms, still staring ahead defiantly.

"What happened?"

"Fine, we had sex in your old high school." Cam laughed at her response before talking again.

"Yeah, right." Cam continued laughing.

"What! Is it not possible that a man like Darrell would find me attractive enough to..." Vala offended at his statement, raised her voice, but was cut off by Cam.

"No. Not that. If you two had done anything, Darrell would've said something." As Vala avoided his glance, Cam hastened to add, "You are very attractive. It's definitely not that."

"Thank you." Vala uncrossed her arms, and turned to flash him one of her beaming smiles.

* * *

Once the plane took off, Vala scooted over a seat, seeing as it's purchaser had not made the flight, so she could sit next to Cam by the window.

"So..." Vala let her sentence hang, waiting for him to bite.

"So?"

"Amy."

"Yes, that's her name. What about her."

"You two had a thing?"

"Not exactly." Cam returned to staring out of the window.

"Well it sure looked like you did." Vala was thinking about the kiss.

"Nope. Nothing there."

"Really?"

"Yup. Just an old high school crush."

"So, you going to pursue the new possibility?"

"Don't know. Why are you asking me this?" Cam turned back to Vala, now inching over to take a look out of the window.

"Just asking. We've got several hours to spend seated next to each other. Why not make conversation?"

"Well, there's a tv in front of me, and due to the lack of sleep last night, I could catch up on what I missed."

"Oh." Vala stopped leaning towards the window, returning to her seat.

"Sorry. Just tired." Cam had noticed her reaction, and realised how rude he had sounded.

"That's ok. What do you have planned for the next two days before we are supposed to return to the base?"

"Uh, not thought that far ahead yet. Once we land we have to go to the SGC and do our reports on what happened last night, then, no plans. You?"

"Well, do my report, then I've got a scheduled appointment with Daniel." Vala grinned.

"Jackson? Now what?"

"Well, he's had a few days away from the base, it's long overdue for me to go an harass him." She loved to tease Daniel. By turn he was embarrassed, or tried to tease back. Both created hours of amusement for Vala.

"Why do you have to do that to him?" Cam was curious. He too found it amusing to watch their interactions.

"Gives me something to do." Vala looked down at her hands in her lap, a hint of sadness in her tone. Cam remembered the conversation they had before going to Kansas, and her comments on how she was always bored when everyone else was busy with their lives on Earth. He felt a pang of sympathy as he thought of what he would do in her situation.

"Look, when we get back to Colorado Springs, we'll have a team night. Go out, do something fun."

"Yeah. Ok." Vala didn't sound too excited.

"Hey, what's wrong?" When Vala's usually bubbly personality didn't bounce back, Cam guessed that something was bothering her, more than just being bored.

"Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have a night out, it's just that, well, when you guys are given some down time, you go home."

"Well, some of us." Cam was thinking about Sam and Daniel, who loved nothing more than to use their free time to do work related projects.

"I don't. I stay on the base. I don't drive, I don't own a house. I'm not supposed to go out of the base perimeter without someone with me, making sure I don't do anything silly." Vala's words rushed out as she expressed her frustration over some of the aspects of her life on Earth that she hated.

Cam had no response. He knew that in time, she would probably be allowed to do all the things she wanted to. Teal'c had, eventually, but he knew that Vala would not be as patient as Teal'c had been. Not knowing what to say to comfort her, and worried he might instead say something to further upset her, he did what he thought best. He didn't say anything.

By the time the flight attendant wheeled the trolley down the aisle for drink requests, both Cam and Vala were asleep, tired after their small adventure the night before. Vala had watched Cam as he fought sleep, and allowed herself to succumb only after he did. Besides, she thought as she drifted off, sleeping would help the time pass quicker, being stuck in a small uncomfortable chair, with no room to stretch her legs.

Cam woke when the person in front of him moved their chair backwards, banging his knees. He felt a slight weight on his shoulder, and glanced down on Vala's head. Seeing the awkward angle she was sleeping in, and knowing that she would wake with a very stiff neck, he tried to slouch in his chair a little, bringing his shoulder down closer to where her head hung. Slowly, so as not to wake her, he moved the armrest separating them, and gently eased her towards his chest. His arm around her shoulders, Vala still sleeping, he closed his eyes, thinking about what he had suggested to Amy.

When the pilots voice announced over the intercom that they were preparing to descend, Vala woke. Not quite comprehending where she was, or how she was sitting, she stretched, and elbowed Cam in the face. Smiling as he rubbed his jaw, she felt his arm move behind her. Stopping mid-stretch, as he too shuffled in his seat, she understood at that point, that he had been holding her while she slept. Not wanting to point it out and embarrass him, she joked about how much easier the trip would've been in a cargo ship, as a flight attendant stopped to check that their seat belts were on.

* * *

After the short briefing was completed, and their reports handed in, Cam proposed the idea of a night out with the team to Sam, Daniel and Teal'c. All three agreed and plans were made for the next evening for dinner and drinks.

"Teal'c, you'll be here right? Can you give Vala a ride?" As both Teal'c and Vala stayed on base, and Teal'c drove, Cam assumed Vala would be able to catch a ride with Teal'c.

"I will not be staying here tomorrow, Cameron Mitchell. Daniel Jackson has invited me to join him for a festival of culture during the afternoon, and we will most likely be joining you from there."

"Sam?"

"Sorry Cam. One of the scientists from upstairs is having her baby shower tomorrow, and I don't know what time it'll finish." Sam shrugged her apology to Cam.

"That's ok. I'm sure I can find a way to join you guys." Vala spoke flippantly, as she had no idea if she would be able to arrange a ride for the trip to and from the base.

"No, I can come pick you up." Sam spoke, not wanting Vala to feel left out.

"I'll do it. I live closer to the base than you do, Sam." As he spoke, Cam tried to make himself sound like he wanted to pick Vala up. It's not that he didn't, as he really didn't care, just the lost look on her face struck a chord within him.

The arrangements made, Sam, Daniel and Teal'c headed off to their various destinations. As Cam stepped away, he felt a hand grab his arm.

"Cam, I just want to say thank you."

"Hey, no problem. It's really not that far away from my house. No big deal." Cam thought she was talking about the following day.

"No. Not that. But thank you for the ride too. I meant about the reunion."

"Oh. Well, you're welcome."

"I mean it. I had a good time, meeting your parents, and Darrell. It was nice to get away from the SGC for a night or two, see some of your fair planet."

"Anytime." As Cam walked away, he realised that he meant what he had said. Vala, despite her silly moments, was a fun person to be around. That left him with food for thought as he headed off to his quarters to change before heading home for the night.

Once home, Cam noticed the blinking red light on his phone in the darkness of his house. After turning on the lights, removing his coat and shoes, he checked the message on his phone. It was Amy, asking him to call her back when he got in. Noticing the time, and thinking of the time difference, he went to bed, intending on calling her in the morning.

Cam wasn't sure exactly what he felt about Amy. When he had been in Kansas, it had seemed all too clear to him. Now, back at the base, his feelings towards her had become a little murky. She had been someone he had wanted to be with, but that had been years ago. People changed after leaving high school, and he knew he had. She had gotten married, then divorced, while he had joined the Air Force, and regularly travelled to other planets, fighting a war against a powerful enemy. Not just that, the long distance between them had to factor in. Depending on what was happening in the galaxy, his days off were never guaranteed, and that would make it difficult for both of them to make travel plans. Unsure of what to do about it, he headed to bed.

* * *

Dinner and drinks were followed with a few games of pool before both Daniel and Sam started yawning. Deciding to call it a night, they paid the tab, and said their farewells. Cam drove Vala back to the base, for once, silence between them.

Cam thought back to the message on his machine and he had listened to it again that morning, but had yet to delete it. It had been Amy, stating that she was glad to see him again, and that he had done well for himself. He had called her and they had chatted for just under an hour. It took Cam less than that to realise that Amy was not someone who he could be in a relationship with.

She had asked him several times while he had been in Kansas about his relationship with Vala. Each time, Cam had told her that they worked together, and they were only friends. Amy seemed reluctant to drop that line of questioning, and when he had told her of his plans that evening, once again, she brought up the Vala question. At that point Cam knew that he would not be able to pursue anything with her. Instead, his mind roamed to the flight back to Colorado Springs, and the warmth of Vala lying against him.

Cam had seen Vala's jealousy spark in her eyes, and when she had honked the horn, he had known she did it from more than mere impatience. Listening to Amy talk on the other end, he remembered when he had found out that Vala only flirted with Daniel for pure fun. Ever since then, perhaps even before, his feelings towards Vala had shifted a little to the 'more than friendly' side. He had not acted on it, thinking that it was just a flash in the pan. Having her with him when he had gone back to his parents had changed that, and he was only now just realising it.

Cam had refocused his attention to what Amy was talking about, and when she spoke about his suggestion about visiting him, he had started mentally preparing what he was going to say. He needn't have bothered. She informed him that while the reunion had been pleasant, and the old spark had been rekindled for a night, she was still dealing with the emotions from her divorce, and was not ready to jump into another relationship at this time. Cam, having given similar excuses before, told her not to think anything of it, and the phone conversation had ended amicably.

These thoughts flying through his head at light speed, he wondered what he was doing, driving Vala back to the base in silence. He cleared his throat as he slowed for a red light, and about to speak, Vala beat him to it.

"Cam, thanks for tonight. You didn't have to arrange a team night."

"Yeah, I was just thinking that."

"You were?" Vala was puzzled, unsure of what he was trying to say.

"Well, we don't have to have a team night to go out. We could just go out, the two of us."

"Ok." Vala had been out with only Daniel a few times, one resulting in her losing her memory temporarily, but nontheless, she enjoyed the time away from the base.

"Vala, do you want to go back to the base just yet?"

"Well, I'm not terribly tired right now. What did you have in mind?"

"I dunno. A movie?"

"Sure. They have movies that start at 1am?"

"They do at my place."

When Vala agreed, Cam turned at the light, instead of going straight, and started in the direction of his house. They were less than five minutes away, and by the time they arrived, he had recited the titles of every movie he owned that he could remember. Once inside, Vala settled herself on the couch, while Cam grabbed several beers, and placed the movie of her choice into the player. He turned the lights off, hating the glare they caused from the tv, and to Vala's slight surprise, and pleasure, sat down beside her. He offered her a beer, and they settled down for the movie.

Cam had seen the movie many times before, but as Vala had not, he watched her reactions to the story. She laughed at Corbin Dallas's sometimes crude responses, and winced as the bad guys head oozed black fluid. Turning to Cam she pointed out that it was pretty obvious the leads were going to end up together, and when he only grinned at her, she settled down again, this time much closer to him. Resting his arm over the back of the couch, Cam didn't move as Vala inched towards him, not wanting to stop her attempts to see what the night would bring. He would let her know how he felt later.

Later ended up being much different than Cam had planned. At some point in the movie he had dozed off, and when he woke, he was slouched with his head almost on the arm of the couch. Vala's head rested on his shoulder, her hand on his chest, his one arm around her, hand on her arm. When he shifted to see the time, she woke, lifting her head from his chest.

"Cam?" Vala whispered.

"It's 0300."

"I should get back to the base."

"You can stay here if you want."

"You sure?"

"Yes. Go back to sleep." Cam, subconciously, began to trace circles on her arm.

"You can't possibly be comfortable lying like that." Vala's words were muffled as she had placed her head back on his chest, and was speaking mostly into his t-shirt.

"I am. Trust me. I am." While he might not be saying the same thing in the morning, right now he didn't want to move, and have her move away from him. At his almost whisper, Vala's head once again rose. She focused her eyes on Cam's, the room lit only from the infomercial playing on the tv.

On impulse she scooted forwards, placing her head over his. When he didn't move, or shift his head, Vala kissed him softly, tentatively, hoping she could trust her instincts. She backed up quickly, not knowing what reaction he would have. When his fingers stopped tracing on her arm, and instead moved to brush a stray strand of hair away from her face, she had her answer. Cam moved his lips up towards hers, letting her know that this was what he wanted. She responded, and felt his hands on her back, holding her above him.

* * *

Cam woke as the mornings sunlight streamed through the crack in the curtains, shining directly on his face. In his arms, Vala stirred as he tried to stretch his back.

"Mornin." Cam kissed her softly on her forehead, loving the way her eyes focused on his, and the smile that greeted him.

"You know, I could get used to this."

"Good. I have a feeling that you might not be spending as much time harassing Daniel anymore."

"That's ok, I can tease you instead." She kissed him in return, thankful that they still had the day to enjoy themselves.

_AN: Whatd'ya think???? _


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